title: [A survey of occupational health among polyether-exposed workers].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the occupational health of the workers simultaneously exposed to acrylonitrile, epoxyethane, epoxypropane, and styrene.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire survey was conducted in 70 front-line workers simultaneously exposed to acrylonitrile, epoxyethane, epoxypropane, and styrene (exposure group) and 50 managers (control group) in a polyether manufacturer; in addition, air monitoring at workplace and occupational health examination were also performed. The obtained data were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The female workers in exposure group and the spouses of male workers in exposure group had significantly higher spontaneous abortion rates than their counterparts in control group (P < 0.01). The exposure group had a significantly higher abnormal rate of blood urea nitrogen than the control group (P < 0.01). The workers with different polyether-exposed working years had significantly higher mean levels of DNA damage than the control group (P < 0.01); the workers with not less than 5 and less than 20 polyether-exposed working years and those with not less than 20 polyether-exposed working years had significantly higher mean micronucleus rates than the control group (P < 0.01); there were no significant differences in overall chromosome aberration rate and mean level of DNA damage between each two groups of workers with different polyether-exposed working years (P > 0.05); the workers with not less than 5 and less than 20 polyether-exposed working years and workers with not less than 20 polyether-exposed working years had significantly higher mean micronucleus rates than those with less than 5 polyether-exposed working years (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Simultaneous exposure to acrylonitrile, epoxyethane, epoxypropane, and styrene causes occupational hazards among the workers in polyether manufacturer.
authors.affiliation: The Occupational Health Research Institute of Tianjin Bohai Chemical Industry CO. Ltd, China. fuxuying180@sina.com
authors.forename: Xu-ying
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Chun-ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guan-hua
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Pan-pan
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D004249:DNA Damage; D004987:Ethers / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D016272:Occupational Health; D017132:Workplace
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D004987:Ethers